Sakura: The Last Flower
by goldenskyblue22
Summary: Sakura is a young girl who had a life changing decision on her hands. As she makes her choice she realizes life as she knows it will never be the same. Now a young girl living in the young Li's Harem who can she trust. Sorry not the greatest summary but f
1. Chapter 1

**Sakura: The Last Flower**

**Chapter One**

**Where Art Thou Father**

**Disclaimer: I do not own CCS. I do own this story and Alena and Kazuya.**

**Hello everyone. I'm back with a brand new story. Yes I am writing an Inuyasha fic but I've put it on hold for a moment to work on this new story that popped into my head. I was reading this story called Leyla a little while ago and have finally given into the urge to write this inspired by the book.**

**A few of the words are Turkish seeing as that's the setting: Turkey earlier 1700's. Well enjoy. The pairings in this story are Sakura and Syaoran, Tomoyo and Eriol, and Meilin and Touya.**

**Hope you like it.

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**Sakura's POV**

Ever since the day my father disappeared my life has been drastically changed.

For the worst. My mother Nadeshko sold nearly everything we had just to make do. Even some of father's most beautiful paintings, afraid she may not be able to feed her children. That would be myself, Sakura, my older brother Touya and my twin siblings Alena and Kazuya.

She tried to convince herself and us as well that he, my father would some day return. That he would just run up to us with open arms and swear to us that nothing but death would take him from us again. But I sensed that somewhere deep inside, broken bit by bit, day by day, my mother had finally given up hope of ever seeing him again. Slowly I found myself giving up hope as well.

My father, Fujitaka, was a painter, the best-known artist in all of Caucasus to be exact. He was most famous for his paintings of nature. Everyone who was anyone in Caucasus owned one of his many masterpieces. And just that's what they were too. Masterpieces. We treasured every one of them.

We lived a fair life, the six of us. Father taught us much about art and also how to read and write. We learned every thing from blending colors to growing flowers. A personal favorite of mine. That of course was my mom's area of expertise. My mom and her flowers were like butter on bread. Good together.

Yes life was going well until that day. The day when father walked away. It arrived early that morning, a summons. My father had been called upon by the army to help in the upcoming battle between Russia and the Li Empire, the Turkish kingdom.

Although my father was not fit to be a soldier with his slight physique and cheerful temperament, he, too, set off.

He was to go as a war painter, depicting the scenes of the war in his flawless paintings recording them for all to see.

We stood at the door together as a family for the last time and my father walked away slowly. For the first time in my life my father was not a carefree positive man, he looked as though he was carrying the weight of the world upon his shoulders.

A part of me died that day because deep down inside I knew that was the last time I'd see my father's face. The last time my family would be whole and complete. And with my father went a part of me.

We watched as he slowly disappeared towards the hills and became but a dot in the distance, leaving to fulfill his duty. And when we could see no longer the dot that was my father, my mother rushed inside and wept for him, father to her children, her husband, her best friend her lover and soulmate.

She wept having seen a chapter in her life walk away. And as my mother wept with soul wrenching sobs, Touya and I stood with the twins watching the spot where my father vanished from sight.

The image of my father disappearing has never left me. My father the size of a man small enough to fit in the palm of my hand. Sometimes I would take one of little Kazuya's tin soldiers and hold it in my hand, pretending almost desperately it was my father. I'd hold secret conversations with him. He became my safe haven, my trustworthy companion, with whom I shared all of my secrets kept inside of me.

Although the war ended and we became a part of the Li empire, though free to do as we pleased, he still did not return home to us. He was one of the missing. Although we do not speak of it and did not then we all feared the worst.

Father was gone, forever.

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**Well there you have it chapter one. Please review and let me know what you think. Also the pairings will not come until a little after this. Tomoyo ppears in two more chapters. Youu want it than I need reviews fast. I'll be waiting**

**Chow. **

**Goldenskyblue**


	2. Notice

Dear readers pls read the authors note on my story chances for a description on why I wasn't able to up date until now the next chapter comes in two days. Maybe even tomorrow. Damn blackouts and the shutting down of my computer.

Any way I really hope you will forgive me.

Here's A Vocabulary list.

Acka: Turkish money

Kaftan: long robe worn by both men and women

Salvar: loose pants worn beneath kaftans, or robes.

lub you all

goldenskyblue


	3. 2 Sakura's decision

**Sakura: The Last Flower**

**Chapter Two**

**Sakura's Decision : Is It For the Best?**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own CCS. Some lucky person from another continent does.

Hi every one I'm sorry for the delays please don't hate me.

To make it up to you all, I have produced the next chapter. Longer, of course, than the first chapter.

So here we go.

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**Sakura's POV**

Since my father left Touya and I have been helping mother with the bills. Touya and I are very good artists.

We made small paintings or did portraits of people to bring in extra money.

About every thing drawn or painted that we sold, brought in about 3 acka. Not very much but still it was something.

In addition to the artwork we sold we also worked with mother to sell things from our garden.

The family garden was our pride and joy. It was the largest garden in the area. We grew all kinds of fruit and vegetables. But if you walked towards the very back of it that sloped down towards the pond you would see what in my opinion was the best part.

**The flowers.**

Mother and I grew some of the most beautiful flowers in Caucasus. Perhaps even in the whole empire.

Lilies, tulips, forget-me-nots, as well as other beautiful blossoms, but my favorites were the ones for which I was named. The cherry blossoms better known as Sakura blossoms.

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**Normal POV**

Sakura devoted most of her free time experimenting with the blossoms and producing colors other than the natural pink. This was currently a popular practice in the empire.

Just recently in the empire they had begun holding flower hybrid festivals. Offering prizes for the rarest breeds produced.

So far with Touya's help she had been able to produce dark pink petal cherry blossoms with bluish purple tips.

Still with all the money they brought in from the garden and their meager artwork, in comparison to their father's, it was still hard to provide for the five-member family.

Sometimes people would come to Sakura and buy potted cherry trees from her but that was hardly a big help seeing as Caucasus wasn't the richest of cities.

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**Sakura's POV.**

A normal day for me would be walking down to the market place and trying to sell that days load of goods. Most of the times I would sell out, on not so good days I would barely sell a thing.

Touya would come later in the day because he spent his mornings doing odd jobs around the city. Then he came later in the evening wit larger portions of goods seeing as he could carry larger loads. After we sold what we could for the day we would head back home.

One particular day as I walked toward madam Oshka the herb mixers hut I saw some of the men my father used to play mahjong with.

"Hello Sakura." Said the largest of them, Remahadon

Hello sir, how have you been?"

Well things have been better but I really can't complain. Where are you headed? To see Oshka perhaps?" he inquired of me.

"Yes I was going to see if she had any pest repellent for our gardens as mother asked."

"Okay then see ya around."

"Goodbye sir it was pleasant seeing you." I said as I walked past him.

As I walked away I overheard him and the others speak saying, " Little Sakura is a real gem. She has a real green finger when it comes to growing stuff I'll tell ya."

Yeah she's like a little miracle worker, mixing them plants together and what not."

"Yeah, too bad about her father. Fujitaka was a good man. It's a shame his family have to struggle like this." I heard another say.

I quickly hurried on my way. I didn't need or want anyone's pity. I was strong enough to survive with out my father and so was the rest of my family. We were a team. And we were going to make it just fine.

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A couple of months ago a storm hit and ruined a lot of our garden. We were very pressed for money and mother was very stressed out. Our garden was our main source of income. 

I was upset about the garden as well but pleased that most of my cherry trees stood firm. The unfortunate ones that had been destroyed, I uprooted keeping their bulbs in my room. These would be used in my future experiments. I had succeeded in producing yellow, purple and blue blossom. Touya' and my future conquest would be to grow a pink blossom with black tips. No one had been able to produce such a hybrid as of yet.

Today I had to go to the market place to buy momma some chicken eggs. Ass usual I was gonna bargain for the best price possible. Part of going o the market meant learning to haggle.

As I walked home with my two-dozen eggs I saw 6 men wearing the uniform of the Li Empire, they were wearing green kaftans over black salvars. On the back of their kaftans was a golden dragon wrapped around a silver wolf.

One of them spotted me and then whispered something to the others. They all glanced at me before turning away and walking away nodding their heads in agreement.

What they were agreeing about was a mystery to me.

Later that evening after our early meal there was a knock upon our door. As mother called out that she would answer I walked towards my small window and chanced a peek outside.

I gasped in surprise. It was three of the men from earlier along with our mayor.

Curious as to know why they were here, I walked quickly to the hall pantry and closed myself in. this way I could hear all that was going on. I heard mother greet them and invite them in.

I pressed myself against the door in an attempt to hear the conversation. My mother being a true hostess offered them a snack or refreshments. They declined.

What shocked me though was the conversation that followed.

_Mayor "Please Nadeshko be reasonable. You barely have enough to feed yourself let alone your four children."_

_Nadeshko "I refuse to part with her. I will not let you have her."_

_Mayor "They will take her to a fine household in the heart of the empire. She will be well cared for and will marry to a good husband who will care to her every need. And before you protest think about this. They are offering enough to feed your family for a very long time. Mayhap two or three years if you continue to spend wisely. I am well aware of the hardships you have endured since your husband had to leave. I also know that you may be afraid to part with your child but it is better to part ways sending her to have a better life then to part in death. And that is most likely what is to happen if you don't let her go and take the money to provide for the rest of your family." _

_The men remained silent. Maybe they didn't speak our tongue well._

_But my mother stood firm. " I absolutely refuse to part with anyone else I love. She is my child. I will provide for her. I will not let any of them die. Do you understand me?"_

_Mayor " Listen she is not a child but what you are doing is very much the behavior of a child. You are denying your daughter a better life. This is a very generous offer that not many would ever receive though they may wish to. Think of Sakura and what she could become if you were to let her leave. Also think of your other children. Don't they all deserve better. Think it over very carefully."_

_Nadeshko "I have thought it over and my answer is still no. It will remain the same regarding her and it would be the same regarding the rest of my children. I need them they are my children, just as they need me because I am their mother. Now please leave. You have upset me very much." _

_She began to usher them towards the door._

_The mayor's voice became very irritated, " Very well if you wish to hold to your foolish refusal go right ahead, but I warn you that this offer will not come again and nor will these men. After tomorrow they return to the empire. If you change your mind you know where to find me."_

As they left I heard the door close with ominous control.

I then heard my mother release a strangled and frustrated cry before marching off.

As I heard the door to her sleeping quarters close I carefully exited the closet and fled to my room.

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As I lay in my sleep pad I felt tears come to my eyes. I was in a very difficult situation. Now more then ever I wished my father home. I wished he were hear and began to rock my self back and forth. My mother needed money to care for us or we would starve this coming winter. 

These mysterious men were offering just that all in exchange for me. Why they would want me was beyond my comprehension.

What I could understand was that if my father were here we wouldn't be in this predicament.

I also wished there was something I could do. If I left with those men I would be taken far away deep into the Li Empire most likely never to return to my family or at least not any time soon.

I heard Alena and Kazuya begin to cry and got up to go check on them.

When I got to they were standing outside of the house with tears on their faces.

"Is it twue dat we gonna not have anymore food to eat and stuff." Kazu said trying his best to form legible words with his hiccupping sob voice.

"Yeah and why momma cry and be mad." Alena asked.

"No, that is not going to happen. We are going to be just fine I promise e you that so don't even think about worrying about it. And don't worry about mom either because she is going to be fine too. She just got upset like all mom 's do. Some people said some things that she didn't like and instead of saying stupid things back she decided to let her anger out by crying okay." I said trying my best to explain to their three year old minds as best as I could.

"Yeah listen to the kaiju." Touya said in a comforting voice. Still that didn't stop me from realizing what he'd said.

"Baka! Sakura no Kaiju!" I said stomping on his foot.

The twins giggled at our normal bickering.

"That sure felt like something a monster would do, Kaiju.' He said rubbing his now sore foot.

I grabbed the nearest blunt object and yelled, "My name is Sakura, Sa-Ku-Ra!" I sounded out as I began to chase him around the garden much to the delight of the twins.

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Later that night I lay awake four hours wondering over the earlier proposition from those empire men. 

I forced my self into a fitful sleep knowing I had a difficult decision to make come the morning. Sleep would only make it a bit easier and I welcomed all the help and comfort I could get. I had a strange feeling that whatever I decided would be painful but also for the best. I knew I had to look out for my family's best interest. Just as father had taught me.

No matter what I chose to do, I decided I would try my hardest to be strong. I would try even harder not to cry. Well at least not much.

But who knew what the future held. And who knew it would be so hard to live with your decision or even carry it out. Certainly not me.

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As I awoke the next morning I carried on my daily routine as best as possible trying not to weep over every little thing that I did. 

As I went to carry out my daily market routine I asked around, trying to find out where the men were staying.

At last someone told me and I made a small detour away from my normal morning route.

Just as I'd been told the six men sat underneath the canvas roof eating a meal and discussing something in their tongue.

Now I was in a weird position because I realized I needed to speak with them in order to carry out my plan. In order to speak with them I needed to speak the same. Oh man what am I supposed to do.

As I wondered about my situation I failed to notice that one of the men had walked right up to me. In fact it was the same man who had first spotted me. He had not been one of the men to show up at the house yesterday.

Him looming over me brought me out of my trance and back to life.

"Umm" I said

"Do you need something?" he asked

This shocked me so much I was speechless. But only a moment.

Meanwhile the man leaned in closer giving me a questioning look when I suddenly was able to form words.

"Hoeeee," I said startling the man back a bout a foot but I took no notice. I was to busy trying to figure things out in my own world this is unbelievable. This whole time I was trying to find a way to talk to these guys and here he is able to talk to me. So what was the mayor dictating yesterday for? Hoeee I'm so confused." Suddenly I realized what I was doing or more importantly where I was doing it. I blushed and turned to the man.

"Sorry." I apologized

"Now I assume that you came here for a reason, correct?" He asked.

Now was the moment of truth. For a moment I really wanted to run back home. I wanted so badly to be in father's arms. I wanted someone to hold me and tell me that this didn't need to be done. A million things went through my mind. Why I shouldn't do this. How I really didn't need to do this.

I pushed all those thoughts away telling myself that I did have to do this. That I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I let this opportunity slip away. How would I be able to live knowing that one of my little siblings died knowing that I could have prevented it. No I couldn't, I would not let that happen.

So in a voice filled with more confidence, courage and strength then I felt or had in my body I held up my head and said, "I'll do it. I'll sell myself and go with you… I'll go into the Li Empire with you………..

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**Well there you have it. Chapter two. Next chapter has Tomoyo's appearance in it. Don't miss it.**

**I hope you liked this chapter. I do, a lot.**

**And thank you to all my reviewers. This story is now dedicated to you.**

**I Lub you all.**

**Goldenskyblue**


	4. A lifechanging Voyage: Enter Tomoyo

**Sakura: The Last Flower**

**Chapter Three**

**A life-changing Voyage: Enter Tomoyo**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. If only…**

**Hello everyone I know it's been a while but I just couldn't do this any sooner. I know how much I hate waiting for updates but due to my computers history of crashing nothing could be done. You owe this story's recovery to a friend of mine who saved the chapters I sent to her to beta read for me. **

**I told her how I had lost my work and she sent me what she had. Yay. So now you will be getting a chapter a week. Hopefully. BTW this is a new computer I'm using. My old one has been put to rest. **

**Anyways here's the chapter**

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Sakura looked out the window and saw the same thing she had seen the last time she'd looked out.

_Nothing._

Nothing but the endless sea she'd been staring at for the last five hours. She thought back over all that happened to her after she accepted the offer.

_Flashback_

"_I'll do it. I'll sell myself and go with you… I'll go into the Li Empire with you. I'll do anything to save my family from living in poverty and misery. But you have to promise they'll get the proper payment." Sakura told them feeling a ball of nausea and discomfort in the pit of her stomach._

_She didn't know how but she knew she was going to have to go through with all of this for the sake of her family._

"_Of course your family will get their payment because we are an honest lot of men." The man I'd been speaking to gestured for one of his men._

_Taking a large a large bag from the basket the man carried he held it down so that I may look inside of it. Inside was more money than I'd ever seen in my life. There wasn't acka in there either. It was gold. At least a hundred pieces of gold. _

_There was enough in there to last my family a few years in comfort._

"_Is this enough to suit you?" he asked with a smirk. _

_I simply nodded dumbly. I was still tongue tied over such a large bounty. _

"_Good, Raishakeem!" he called to another man who apparently spoke our tongue. "Go and deliver this to the little one's home. See that her family receives all of it." The man nodded and left._

_After that the man took me by my arm and, after briefly telling his companions to load up and follow, lead me to the dock and had me escorted onto a ship._

_On the ship was something unexpected._

_**Girls**, lots and lots of girls. Many of them my age and some of them younger. They looked to be from other parts of the continent._

_Were they here for the same reason as I was? That I could not know._

_I did not even know why I was here. _

_What were they planning on doing with us?_

_Why the hell hadn't I thought of asking that before I agreed?_

_Well it couldn't be too bad seeing as very few of them seemed to be to upset by our predicament. _

_We were all placed below the main level into a large room with mats for sleeping. The room was a little packed but things could have been worse._

_Still I don't think I will enjoy this voyage to the Empire too much seeing as we will be rocking around a lot._

_How this will turn out I am unsure._

**NormalSakura's POV**

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That was about four hours earlier in the time since I have heard a lot of movement above. We have long since been within seeing range of my homeland. Or land for that matter. 

They brought us lunch a little while ago. It wasn't too bad some oats and bread. We were also given a generous amount of water so really I cannot complain.

I did after all sell myself. This is better than how I had expected to be treated.

But then again who knows what the future will bring?

They could always…. "**HEY HOW YA DOING?"**

"**Hoooooooooeeee."**

**Nomal POV**

A girl with long black hair and blue violet eyes was standing over Sakura.

She had a huge grin on her face.

Offering a hand to help up Sakura who had fallen over in distress she said "Hello there. My names Tomoyo. Sorry about startling you. What's your name?"

"Uuum it's Sakura and don't worry about it I space out from time to time." Sakura smiled brightly "Anyways its nice to meet you Tomoyo. I haven't really had the chance to speak to anyone else."

Tomoyo looked over Sakura thoroughly before energetically saying, " You have the perfect shape. I would love for you to model for me some time. You'd be perfect for my next collection." She said gesturing at Sakura all the while.

Sweat dropped down the back of Sakura's head.

"Eh heh are you serious?" she asked.

"Of course I'm serious why wouldn't I be. You know I happen to be very dedicated when it comes to my work." Tomoyo said while wagging her finger at Sakura.

"Your work?" She inquired tilting her head in puzzlement.

"Yeah my work. Sorry I forgot to tell you I'm the daughter of a very famous seamstress and it would seem that a lot of my mother's love and passion for making clothes passed on to me." She said.

"But that's a story for another time. So Sakura how did you end up here?"

Sakura was about to answer when she heard an unfamiliar voice call out.

"Tomoyo there you are. Are you pestering some one again." Said a girl with shoulder length reddish brown hair.

"Of course she is she is Tomoyo after all." This came from another girl of similar age with her hair in two curly ponytails.

"We apologize for our friend. She gets a little carried away sometimes." A girl with dark brown hair and a quieter nature stepped up beside her friends.

"Oh no. She wasn't bothering me at all. Actually I'm really grateful for the company. I haven't actually had the chance to meet anyone here yet." Sakura replied with a beautiful smile that reached her emerald green eyes.

"I'm Sakura and it's nice to meet you all."

"See guys I wasn't bothering her at all. I was just being my naturally friendly and welcoming self." Tomoyo said defending herself to her friends.

Tomoyo turned towards Sakura and said " Sakura these are my friends Rika," she said gesturing to the first girl to approach them, " Chiharu," she gestured to the second girl, "and last but not least Naoko." She finished introducing the quieter girl of the group.

The girls all bowed their heads in greeting and said "Nice to meet you Sakura."

"Good now that we are all familiar with each other lets have a nice little chat. Is that all right with you Saks?" Tomoyo asked.

Sakura was eager for the company and she needed a distraction from all of her troubles. "Of course its all right."

Soon they were engrossed in tales of each other's lives. They exchanged stories of their families and their homes.

**Sakura's POV

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I was slightly surprised by how easy it was to talk to them. It was like I'd known them for my whole life and we were simply old friends trying to catch up on the years we missed and make up for lost time.

Out of all the girls though, Tomo, as I had quickly taken to calling her, was the easiest to talk and relate to.

She had such a cheerful and energetic nature I found myself trying to draw from her strength and positive attitude.

Tomo I found out was from the upper northern parts of Turkey.

She had lived with her mom in a quiet village famous for her mom's designs and skills with dress and decoration making.

Sadly around the same time my father disappeared there had been a huge commotion in their village and strange men took her mother, claiming she was much to talented to work in an unknown and disgusting hovel such as the one they lived in.

Tomoyo still seethed at the insult. She felt it necessary to point out their home had been one of the most beautiful villages in all of Turkey.

She had made it a point to tell her mother's captors just so right before she was knocked unconscious.

The next thing she knew she was alone.

She hadn't heard from or seen her mother since.

Tomoyo is so brave and resourceful she had made it on her own these past few years selling her own clothing and the last of her mother's stock save for a few of the more precious pieces.

It wasn't until recently that Tomo had begun hearing rumors of a famous designer in the heart of the Li Empire that stirred her hope.

After hearing wonderful tales of this designer that Tomoyo made up her mind to go to the Li Empire and search for her mother.

They way Tomo saw it luck had shined upon her the day these men on this ship had taken an interest in her and decided to offer her passage on board this ship to the empire.

She felt the arrangement was perfect because they also gave her a small sum of money as payment.

That she felt was icing on the cake.

Rika's story was that she had run away from the orphanage she'd been forced to live in after the war took her parent's lives.

Her older sister Ruby had been taken as a spoil of war.

When she'd heard of the sea travelers promising a better life and passage to the Li Empire she and a few other girls had jumped at the chance and quickly gained admittance on board.

She too had been given a reward.

Next came Chiharu's story, she had a story similar to mine. When the war came around her mother had gotten a fever from some of the sick soldiers she'd been tending to.

She soon grew terribly ill ad passed away. Her mother's death had been eased by the presences of her grandfather and her grandmother. Chiharu now saw her mom as a hero who died trying to save the lives of others.

That thought along with her grandparents had made the loss more bearable.

But lately times had been hard and when the ship had docked in the port of her city Chiharu had decided that it would be best if she went to work in the richer parts of the country and would soon send for her grandparents once she was situated.

She had left most of the money she'd received for her journey with her grandparents and set off with them in mind.

Last was Naoko, and she was going into the Li Empire because that was where she thought her brother was last seen. He had joined the Li forces and gone to war. He'd left her in the care of a family friend and that had been where she had lived up until now.

When she had gotten wind of a rumor from a local merchant that he may have seen her brother Naoko had she had to follow the lead and look for him.

She thought herself lucky to have been able to gain passage on this ship.

Not only was she able to journey to the Li Empire but she had also been able to give half of her payment to the family that had sheltered her for the past few years.

After thanking the gracefully Naoko boarded.

So one thing lead to another and here we all were. Shipmates on a voyage to a strange new world.

We may not have been together for the beginning of our lives but here in the confines of this ship cabin we shared a bond.

We were all on our way into an uncertain future.

I'm grateful that I am no longer alone. Now I have friends to share my troubles with and relate too.

I thank God for them too. For although things were looking a little brighter now we still have no idea what's to come.

We would have to stay strong and hope for the best.

I hope I can…….

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Well there you have it. The end to my silence. I worked hard on remaking this chapter for you all. Honestly I think its better than the original chapter. It's definitely longer. **

**Thank you to all of you who have patiently waited.**

**I'll update as soon as I can.**

**Give me at least 8 reviews and I may post the next restored chapter a little sooner.**

**Oh and they reach the empire soon. Maybe they will see a few of the fellas there. Who knows? Review please!**

**I Lub you all.**

**Goldenskyblue**


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